Hospitalized high school student virtually ‘walks’ across stage at graduation

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A LeFlore High School senior was in the hospital and could not walk the stage with her fellow Class of 2018 Monday. At least not in person, anyway.

Thanks to the partnership between the Mobile County Public School System and USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Cynthia Pettway was able to virtually “walk” across the stage using a robot fully cloaked in a cap and gown.

“She has worked very hard to get here and was devastated… So when we introduced this idea to her… Took us a little while to convince her that although she couldn’t be here physically, she could be here remotely… And after that she got on board and was very excited about it,” said Stephanie Maddox with MCPSS. 

The school system says Pettway had more than 40 family members and friends gathered in a conference room at the hospital to watch the graduation broadcast live.

You could hear the crowd at the Mitchell Center cheer as the robot took the stage in the video provided by MCPSS.